If you live in a big city, you probably shop at big chain stores most of the time. I grew up in a very large city and I can honestly (and with some shame) tell you that I could probably name on one hand the number of small businesses I frequented on a regular basis. As the Wal-marts of the world took over, my conscience took a back seat.
When I moved to Maryland, I moved to a much smaller town – one that was large enough to have all the big chains but small enough to have an entire downtown district dedicated to small businesses. Suddenly, I was shopping at small stores and community markets and eating at local restaurants. I can happily tell you that it’s rare that we have a sit down dinner at a chain restaurant anymore.
Last year, I began writing about Small Business Saturday here on the blog because of the wonderful experiences I’ve had at these local shops and eateries. This year, especially this year, I feel even more passionate about visiting small local stores. If you’ve watched the news at all you’ve heard that Wal-mart employees are on strike in many places due to poor treatment. Many chains (not just Wal-mart) remained open on Thanksgiving.
To be frank, that kind of crap won’t stop until you hit them where it counts – their bottom line.
So, what is Small Business Saturday?
Well, it’s a day where you, just by shopping, can make a huge difference in the lives of shop owners in your community. You’re going to be Christmas shopping this weekend anyway, right? Why not shop at a local business instead!
Check out this video:
For more information about Small Business Saturday, click HERE. For where to shop in your town, click WHERE TO SHOP at the top of that page. If you register your American Express card you can even get money back on qualifying purchases from participating local businesses! You know I love a deal!
If we all agree to shop local, we can change the tide in our communities. We can help create jobs and improve the quality of our communities just by shopping.
Throughout the rest of the day, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite small online and local handmade businesses. Stay tuned!
Disclaimer: Small Business Saturday is supported in part by American Express. This is NOT a sponsored post. I strongly believe in shopping and eating locally. I produce these posts once a year because I know how important it is. No one has asked me to write this post and I have not been compensated. Please shop local.
